Chelsea was left 'seething' by Rio Ngumoha transfer as Liverpool forced to pay fee

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Liverpool was ordered to pay a fee to Chelsea just days after the transfer window closed for the signing of Rio Ngumoha, which left the Blues fumingRio Ngumoha reacts(Image: Getty Images)Liverpool was ordered to pay Chelsea up to $9.2 million (£6.8M) for the signing of Rio Ngumoha, as the winger starts against his former club at Anfield.Ngumoha made the move from Chelsea to Anfield as a 16-year-old in September 2024, in a move that was said at the time to have left Chelsea “seething”. The winger has since gone on to sign his first professional contract with the Reds, having done so last summer.He has featured multiple times from the bench this season and scored a famous winner against Newcastle earlier in the campaign.

With Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz all sidelined, and Alexander Isak only on the bench, Ngumoha got a rare start in the Premier League against his former club.READ MORE: Arne Slot responds to Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk's comments on Liverpool standardsREAD MORE: Dominik Szoboszlai shares Liverpool locker room stance on Arne Slot being firedThe Blues were entitled to receive costs for the winger’s training and development as a result of the switch, with the amount having now been decided nearly 18 months later by a Professional Compensation Committee (PFCC) tribunal.The Blues were entitled to receive costs for the winger’s training and development as a result of the switch, with the amount having now been decided nearly 18 months later by a Professional Compensation Committee (PFCC) tribunal.According to The Athletic, Liverpool must pay an initial fee of £2.8M ($3.79M), although that could rise by a further £4M ($5.4M).The ruling states that Liverpool will owe Chelsea up to £6.8M once performance-related contingencies have been included, as well as 20 per cent of the profit should Ngumoha be sold in the future.The settlement is non-negotiable, and the add-ons could be met by senior appearances and contracts, as well as any honors Ngumoha might achieve while representing his country.Rio Ngumoha has impressed at Liverpool so far this season(Image: (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images))The teenager has made 14 first-team appearances since joining Liverpool, and he scored his first goal for the club earlier this season, having grabbed the winner against Newcastle back in August.Ngumoha’s move to Anfield sparked a bitter feud between Liverpool and Chelsea. Reports at the time claimed that the Blues had been left “seething” that the Reds had nabbed one of their brightest prospects.The situation was escalated when Chelsea was reported to have denied Liverpool scouts access to youth games, with Manchester United having also seen accreditation requests rejected after being linked with Ngumoha.Even with Liverpool now being ordered to pay Chelsea, the Reds may well see amount as something of a bargain, given the expectations surrounding the youngster.Get LFC's 2025/26 season home and away kitsThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it.

Learn moreFrom $100LFC.comSee the dealLiverpool's home and away strips for the 2025/26 season are the first in their new partnership with adidas.Fans can order jerseys in the US at Fanatics.com or via the LFC Online Store in both the US and across the world.“I think he has the most minutes of all 17-year-olds in the Premier League. So that tells you how much playing time he gets, how special that already is for a 17-year-old,” Slot said earlier this season.“That also tells you something about his quality, because it’s not completely normal for a 17-year-old already to have as much playing time as he had.”After making his debut in the FA Cup last year, Slot said: “Every time when he comes training with us we see what his qualities are,” Slot said.“He can dominate one-v-one situations, he is very quick on his feet, he can change directions really fast.“I’m always happy if a player makes his debut that he shows what we see on the training ground as well, so the fans could see it.”This article was first published in February 2026, it has since been updated.